State Motor Vehicle Inspections----How Do Yours Work?

I just came back from running our Taurus wagon through the inspection station for a new sticker. It passed with flying colors, but then again in New Jersey the only inspection is for the check-engine light...if it's off, you pass. This got me to thinking about how other states do their inspections. Do any of you have stories (good or bad) about how things work where you live?

 

Well, I'll give you a couple...........
Years ago, when I had to have my 71 C30 tested annually, I went to the emissions station. I had put in new plugs and was sure it would pass. I'd been thru 3 or 4 times prior years, but this time, the guy wanted the key to the saddle tank doors. I'd never used the tanks, and told him so. One of them didn't have a gas cap on it. I was lucky I had the key in the glove box. It failed. I went to a couple of parts stores, but couldn't find a cap to fit. I went home, removed the tanks and went back the next morning. I got the same guy. He asked for the key again, and I gave it to him. He came back and said....why didn't you tell me you removed the tanks? I said, you didn't believe me when I said I never used them, why should I think you'd believe I removed them? The truck passed just fine.
When I had to take my 86 MOnte Carlo SS thru the last time, at the end of the line they brought my form and said you failed the visual. I had to go to the office to get that answered. The air pump didn't have a belt on it. I passed emissions, but not the visual. I bought a belt, put it on, and it squealled like crazy, pump froze up. Got a pump, put it on, replaced belt again, and got thru.
You can pass their test, but they still find crazy stuff to get you on. Our law changes, and now, if your vehicle is insured under a classic car policy, you don't need emissions testing. That's saved me a lot of problems.

 

For Pennsylvania, It's more frequent for industrial trucks (every six months) but for passenger cars here you go:

Annual inspection, due every 12 months although a person can get a car inspected earlier. These are all checked: Headlights; High-Beams; Brake Lights; Reverse-Lights; Turn-Signal Lights; Four-Way Flashers; Horn; Wipers; Wiper fluid motor and brake rotors on at least one wheel on the front and one on the rear. Some areas (Such as near Pittsburgh) have emissions tested for newer cars while others do not. I think some stations will refuse to pass some cars for rust issues, but I'm not sure.

New York also has yearly inspections, similar to Pennsylvania I think.

 

Florida only has emissions inspection in 2 counties.No safety inspection since 1977.

Brian

 

I'm reminded of Ohio. I don't think they have any inspections there at all, though I did hear they had spot-checks in 1977.

 

South Carolina doesn't have inspections any longer.

 

I lived in Ohio from 1983 to 2012. Their smog check, begun in 1996 and called "E-check," exists only in the seven counties in and around Cleveland. For the rest of the state, no inspection is required to renew registration. It can all be done by mail.

Ditto for where I live now, New Mexico. No inspections of any kind to renew registration. Do it all by mail. All they do when you first register the car is verify the VIN by finding it in two places on the car, the normal VIN plate plus usually the blue sticker on the driver's door edge (which they call the "Nader" sticker).

 

No inspections here in Oregon (as far as I know...) Registration goes for 2 years and is pretty cheap.

California has smog inspections only - might vary by county. Some more rural counties may not have any (not sure on this) If your area requires an inspection, you have to get one every 2 years (? - I think). Buying a used vehicle from a private party may require a smog inspection. Registration is annual, and pretty steep.

 

I've only had to have one vehicle inspected. A new 1975 Ford pick up truck right after I got it. I can't remember why or what but it failed the first time...... A NEW truck.
After that Illinois dropped the inspections and where I live in the boonies of Florida they don't seem to care how much smoke and oil your car puts out or leaks.

 

Sillynoiuse only does emission check...
No safety check...
OBDII ..
They *FINALLY* did away with OBD I ... yes..
Hence this means 1996 and newer ever two years
after a vehicle becomes three years old ....
Emission checks do not cost to be done and are done
by the state or state approved center with state appointment ....
Done in metro Chicago and metro East St Louis counties...

 

No inspections at all in Tennessee.

Across the state line from me in Virginia, there is a safety inspection that has to be performed once per year.

 

Best part about TN is that they don't even require seeing the car to register it if you have a valid title!

California requires smog checks every other year and whenever registration changes owners on anything 1976 and newer. But no other inspections except for a VIN check and underhood inspection when you're bringing anything in from out of state.

I personally liked Texas' safety inspection: lights, wipers, horn, and brakes all have to work. The amount of newer cars in California driving around with no brake lights or tail lights drove me mad.

 

No inspection in OK since 2001. It was just $11.00, and was useless. Were that inspection to be accomplished by the book, it would've been a 60-minute process. Since shop rates at that time were $60 - $100 per hour, no shop really did more than check the lights, horn, tread depth, see if the car would stop, and that the exhaust system was intact. Common sense prevailed and the "safety inspection" was made obsolete. There have been a couple of efforts to revive the safety inspection with a $75.00 fee, but those never make it out of committee. Thankfully.

I remember when the inspection went away, the "sky is falling!" safety nazis were claiming that accidents from "unsafe cars on the road" would quadruple. They ended up going down every year from 2001 on.

 

Safety test on all cars being purchased, regardless of age. Emissions testing is every two years, after age 5, for all cars model year 88 and newer. 87 and older are exempt. The emissions test is valid for one year, so if the car was tested within the year, no second test is require for change of ownership. 88 and newer cars become exempt from emissions testing when they have Historic Vehicle plates attached which may be done at the owner's discretion once the car is 25, but there are severe restrictions on use which is why my 88 has normal plates, so must be tested every 2 years. At least now it is a stationary test. It used to be a dyno test that found more faults. The test costs $40.

 

Some counties in TN have emissions testing, but not mine.

I've registered 6 vehicles here in TN since I moved here a little over 5 years ago. I only needed the title and was never asked for a bill of sale or proof of insurance. Heck the first 4 they never asked to see my driver's license. I got a business license and they didn't ask to see my ID then either. It may be because i live in a small town.